Smoke and ash filter for incinerator stacks



Jan. 14, 1941. 1 a M E- 2,228,970

SMOKE AND ASH FILTER FOR INCINERATOR STACKS Filed July 5, 1938 Patented Jan. 14, 1941 PT 3.3T

SMOKE AND ASH FILTER FOR INCINERATOR STACKS Edward M. Owens, Galveston, Tex,

Application July 5, 1938, Serial No. 217,637

4 Claims.

The present invention consists of a smoke and ash filter which is especially adapted for use in stacks of incinerators and thelike to intercept particles suspended in the smoke as Well as wash the latter preparatory to ejection of the smoke from said stack.

It is of course well known in the art to provide smoke clarifiers and washers for stacks, but the present invention is the result of much experiment in this field, especially with garbage and trash incinerators, and I have found that best results are obtained where suitable air draft is created through the stack, so that the moistened permeated smoke will pass freely and uninterruptedly through the stack after the suspended particles have been removed from the smoke, suitable provision, of course, being made to carry oif the particle ladened liquid.

Many objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred forms of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a smoke stack illustrating the application of my invention, the latter being shown in section,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing to advantage the collector collar or basin in top plan,

Fig. 3 is a similar View to that shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a modified form of the invention, wherein bafiles are carried by the inner periphery of the bame cylinder, and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows showing the battles in top plan.

To illustrate the application of my invention, a portion of a stack 5 is shown which may be of conventional design and is equipped with a lining ii, the lining being spaced from the inner wall of the stack to provide an air space 1. The upper end of the lining t terminates short of the upper end of the stack 5 and carries a collector collar or catch basin 8, the diameter of the collar being in excess of the diameter of the lining 6 to permit snug engagement of the perimeter of the collar with the inner Wall of the stack. The portion of the collar beyond the lining 6 is provided with air ducts 9, through which air, ascending through the air space '1, is adapted to pass.

The collar it may be made of cast iron or any other suitable non-combustible material and is of a shape adapted to conform to the contour of the inner wall of the stack 5. Preferably the collar is of a segmental construction, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The top of the collar is dished to provide a trough it, adapted for the reception of sprayed liquid, in a manner and for a purpose more fully hereinafter set forth. The inner wall l I of the collar may be of frusto-conical shape to permit the smoke to pass. without resistance through the collar, yet reducing the circumference of the smoke stream, as it leaves the collar, also for a purpose more fully hereinafter set forth. v

A bafile cylinder i2 is superimposed on the collar 8, just outside of the trough it. Upon reference to Fig. l of the drawing, it will be noted that an annular shoulder is provided on the collar radially just within the circle of ducts 9, the collar thereby being adapted to embrace the lower terminal of the baffle cylinder it. The baffle is also made of a non-combustible material and is of any desired shape and size, but preferably its outer periphery is in alignment with the outer periphery of the lining t to provide an air space between the cylinder and the stack.

A perforate liquid spray pipe 13 is mounted in the stack 5 immediately above the cylinder l2, the angularity of the perforations of the pipe being such that the liquid emitted from the pipe will be projected against the inner periphery of the cylinder l2 near the top of the latter. The water or other liquid projected from the pipe I3 intersects the path of the smoke rising through the stock to wash the smoke and intercept particles carried by or suspended in the latter, the particles being urged against the inner wall of the cylinder l2 and washed down or permitted to gravitate from said wall into the trough Ill. The trough it is in communication with a drain pipe M, which latter carries oh" the particle ladened liquid gravitating into the trough.

In the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, a collar 8' is employed which is of substantially the same construction as the collar 8, said collar being equipped with a superimposed bafile cylinder l2. Instead of providing a liquid spray pipe mounted in the stack, above the cylinder, it is preferred in this form of invention to mount the pipe, herein designated it, within the cylinder l2 at the top of the latter. On the inner wall of the cylinder a plurality of helical or spiral vanes [5 are mounted, which provide liquid and smokebafiles, the baffles extending downwardly into engagement with the collar 3, in such a manner that the liquid impinged against the battles from the liquid spray pipe ill will gravitate into the trough It of the collar. The baffles 15 give a swirling motion to the smoke, as the latter rises through the cylinder [2. In this way particles of ash and unburned or partially burned materials are more effectively broken up to correspondingly more thoroughly saturate or permeate the particle ladened smoke with moisture ejected from the pipe 13'.

It is, of course, to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction proportion and arrangement of parts within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a smoke stack, means mounted in said stack to spray liquid crosswise of the latter, a basin mounted in the stack to catch the liquid subsequent to its passage across the stack, a bafile rising upwardly from said basin against which said liquid impinges before gravitating into the basin, and smoke and liquid impinging vanes carried by the bafiie.

2. In combination with a smoke stack a lining mounted in the stack, the upper end of the lining terminating short of the top of the stack and said lining being spaced from the wall of the stack to provide an air passageway, a collar carried by the top of the lining and engaged with the wall of the stack having openings therethrough communicating with said air passageway, means mounted in the stack, above said collar, to spray liquid crosswise of the stack to permeate smoke passing upwardly through the collar, and means on said collar to prevent travel of the liquid through the openings of said collar.

3. In combination with a smoke stack a lining in said stack, the upper end of the lining terminating short of the top of the stack and said lining being spaced from the wall of the stack to provide an air passageway, a collar carried by the top of the lining and engaged with the wall of the stack having openings therethrough communicating with said air passageway, said collar extending inwardly beyond the inner periphery of the lining and having a frusto-conical opening therein, the wall of which is adapted to intercept smoke passing through the collar, means mounted in the stack, above said collar, to spray liquid crosswise of the stack to permeate smoke passing through the collar, means on said collar, in the path of movement of said sprayed liquid to prevent travel of the latter into said air passageway and to direct the liquid inwardly on said collar, the latter having a trough therein extending around the smoke opening of the collar.

4. In combination with a smoke stack a lining mounted in said stack, the upper end of the lining terminating short of the top of the stack and said lining being spaced from the wall of the stack, a collar supported at the top of the lining and provided with a central frusto-conical smoke opening, a baflle cylinder superimposed on the collar, spiral vanes carried by the collar, the lower ends of said vanes terminating at said frusto-conical opening to be engaged by smoke passing through the latter, and means mounted in said cylinder for spraying liquid crosswise of the latter.

EDWARD M. OWENS. 

